What Is CYD (Check Your Drink) and Why It Matters

Drink spiking can happen anywhere people drink: bars, clubs, house parties, festivals, work events and on holiday. In Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University's 2025 survey of more than 7,000 UK adults, around 2% said they had been spiked in the previous year, equivalent to nearly one million people. Fewer than one in four reported it to the police (Drinkaware, 2025).

Many spiking drugs have no colour, smell or obvious taste, so you can't rely on your senses to spot them. That is where CYD comes in.

What is CYD?

CYD (Check Your Drink) is a drink spike test small enough to carry in a pocket, wallet or phone case. It was founded in 2014 by Katie Burrington, after her husband, criminal lawyer Richard Burrington, saw a rising number of spiking cases.

The test was developed over four years with the University of Strathclyde and Clinical Trials Laboratory Services (CTLS), and has since been independently tested by Lucideon. It has been tested across 92 different drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

What it screens for

• Pale pink patch: GHB, including pharmaceutical GHB (Xyrem) and related compounds.
• Yellow patch: ketamine, scopolamine, cocaine and other amine-based drugs.

How to use it

1. Using your finger or a straw, put one drop of the drink on each test patch.
2. Wait up to 30 seconds.
3. If the pink patch turns blue or pale grey, or the yellow patch turns orange, the result is positive. Don't drink it.

What it can't do

CYD is an indicator screening test, not a laboratory test. No colour change does not guarantee a drink is safe: it won't pick up substances outside its range or amounts below detectable levels. Some drinks can affect results:

• Milk-based drinks can affect the GHB test.
• Bitter lemon or lime cordial may cause a false negative on the GHB test.
• Dark red drinks, such as red wine or blackcurrant cordial, can interfere with both tests.

If you still have doubts, don't drink it.

If a test is positive

1. Don't drink it, and keep the drink if you can. It may be useful evidence.
2. Tell someone you trust: a friend, bar staff, security or a medical professional. Don't leave with anyone you don't know.
3. Get help. In the UK, call 999 if someone is in danger or getting worse. Take your CYD result with you to hospital.
4. Report it to the police quickly. GHB leaves the body within about 6 to 12 hours, so blood and urine samples need to be taken fast.

Why it matters

CYD gives you a quick check when something feels wrong, such as a drink left unattended or one you didn't see poured. It works best alongside the basics: watching your drink, staying with friends and using venues with trained staff. It is one layer of protection, not a replacement for them.

If in doubt, don't drink.